Guyana legislators to let court rule on no-confidence motion

Legislators in Guyana have refused a government request to nullify a no-confidence motion approved last month.

Parliament Speaker Barton Scotland said Thursday that it's best if a court decides whether the motion had the required votes. The government had asked Scotland to overturn the motion because it contends the 33 votes were shy of just one to represent a majority in the 65-member assembly.

The motion is forcing new elections this year even though President David Granger still has nearly two years left in his term.

A lawmaker for the ruling coalition who voted in favor of the no-confidence motion has since fled to Canada. The government said in a statement that it is investigating allegations the lawmaker was supposedly bribed with money and gold.

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